Legislature
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The legislature is a branch of the running of a nation with the power over legislation. The enacting and alteration of laws is the main duty of a legislature, but it may also be required to perform other tasks such as the election of the head of state, executive or government. Legislatures are usually unicameral (consisting of one chamber) or bicameral (consisting of two chambers), however, rarely, they are tricameral (consisting of three chambers).
In most bicameral systems, the lower house, despite its description of being "below" the upper house, is almost always the most powerful of the two chambers and almost always wholly elected. The upper house, meanwhile, is usually smaller, more restricted in power and designed to be a more deliberative body, and can be either directly elected (e.g. Australian Senate), indirectly elected (e.g. Indian Rajya Sabha), wholly appointed (e.g. Canadian Senate), a mixture of appointed and elected (e.g. Belgian Senate prior to 2014), or consist of members who hold seats by virtue of their position in society (e.g. hereditary and religious peers in the British House of Lords). These can hold office for a fixed term or, rarely, for life.
In countries with federal systems, it is common for the upper house to represent specific geographic areas, often equally in spite of population differences. This is the case for the United States Senate, where each state, regardless of population, returns 2 senators.
Legislatures can be known by many names. Names such as National Assembly, Congress and Parliament are most common. Likewise, there are many names for the individual Houses of the legislature. Senate is the most common name for an Upper House. Unicameral legislatures and lower Houses tend to have names such as Assembly, House of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies. Names are often related to the country, for example, the prefix Bundes- (meaning "federal") is used in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, whilst the word Majlis (meaning "council") is common in Islamic countries.
List of micronational legislatures
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Nation | Name of legislature | Name of house(s) | House level | Term | Electoral system | Seats |
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Grand Senate | Unicameral | 3 years | First-past-the-post | 5 | |
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Reichsversammlung | Bundesrat | Upper house | 1 year | Appointed by the states | 6 |
Volkstag | Lower house | 6 months | Party-list proportional representation | 13 | ||
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Royal Council | King of Abristan | Crown-in-Parliament | Until Death/Abdication | Head of State | 1 |
Chamber of Counselors | Upper house | 4 years | Appointed by head of state | 8 | ||
Chamber of Representatives | Lower house | 4 years | First-past-the-post | 5 | ||
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QA Jury | Upper House | 1 year | Random sampling | 7 per jury | |
Legislative Juries | Lower House | |||||
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General Assembly | Unicameral | No term limits | Self-appointment | 387 | |
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Senate | Unicameral | ? | ? | ? | |
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Alsane Federal Council | Unicameral | 1 year | Approval voting | 5 | |
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National Assembly | Senate | Upper house | 6 years | First-past-the-post | 11 |
House of Represntatives | Lower house | 2 years | First-past-the-post | 22 | ||
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Parliament | Assembly of Councillors | Upper house | For life | Appointed by head of state | 3 |
Assembly of Commons | Lower house | No term limits | First-past-the-post | 3 | ||
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Parliament of Arlandica | Unicameral | No term limits | Appointed by the President of the Parliament | 5 | |
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Federal Assembly of the Arstotzkan Union | Arstotzkan Federal Congress | Bicameral | For Life Positions | First-past-the-post | 19 |
House of Representatives of the Arstotzkan Union | ||||||
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Parliament (The Bamboo) | Unicameral | 5 years | First-past-the-post | 25 | |
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Parlamento de Asgard | Unicameral | 4 years | First-past-the-post | 11 | |
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Parliament | King-in-Parliament | Bicameral | 4 months | Proportional Representation | 15 |
Bundesrad | ||||||
Riksdag | ||||||
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House of Commons | Unicameral | 1 year | Single transferable vote | 3 | |
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Parliament | Emperor | Emperor-in-parliament | For life | Hereditary position | 1 |
House of Representatives | Unicameral | 5 years | First-past-the-post | 7 | ||
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National Assembly | Unicameral | 2 years |
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70 | |
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Parliament | House of tables | Crown-in-parliament | 4 months | Australian Ballot | 11 |
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Light Blue Commission | Unicameral | ? | Appointed by head of state | 13 | |
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Council of Divine Governance | Unicameral | 1-3 years (1 term a year, 3 max) |
First-past-the-post | 3 | |
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Federal Assembly | Unicameral | 6 months | Party-list proportional representation | 7 | |
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National Council | Unicameral | No term limits | Elected by the People | 5 | |
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Parliament | House of Lords | Upper house | For life | Hereditary position | Not fixed |
House of Commons | Lower house | 4 years | First-past-the-post | 50 | ||
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Parliament | Kaiser-Koenig | Emperor-in-Parliament | Life | Hereditary | 1 |
High Council | Advisorial | Life | Chosen by Kaiser-Koenig | 10 | ||
Reichstag (Peoples Imperial House) | Upper House | 1–3 years
(1 term a year, 3 max) |
Elected by the People | 15 (Two per district/region or state/duchy, etc) | ||
Kaiserhaus (House of Royals) | Lower House | Life | Hereditary | 20 (Monarchs of imperial territories like Duchies, Kings, Lords, etc) | ||
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Parliament | President | Unicameral | ? | First-past-the-post | 1 |
Members of the Parliament | 1 year | Plurality-at-large voting | 24 | |||
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People's National Congress Of Benjastan | Workers' Assembly | Unicameral | 3 years | Party-list proportional representation | 8 |
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Tawilian National Council | Unicameral | 1 year | First-past-the-post | 9 | |
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The Royal Diet | House of Peers | Unicameral | At his majestys pleasure | Appointed by the Head of State | 5 |
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Parliament | Chamber of Laws | Unicameral | - | - | - |
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Parliament | Unicameral | 2 years, 3 terms max | First-past-the-post | Not fixed | |
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Glasreachtas | Seanad | Upper house | 10 | Elected by Councils of minorities | 3 Months |
Dail Cascadia | Lower house | 14 | Party-list proportional representation | 3 Months | ||
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Parliament | Senate | Upper house | - | Appointed by the prince | For the duration of Parliament |
House of Assembly | Lower house | 13 | Party-list proportional representation | Not fixed (typically 4 months) | ||
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General Assembly | Unicameral | 1 year | Instant-runoff voting | 10 | |
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Grand Council | Unicameral | ? | ? | 50 | |
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Green and Blue Commission | Unicameral | Based on the Head of Government | Estabilished by the Constitution | 6 | |
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Konkrëse | House of Aristocrats | Upper house | Life-long | Appointed by the monarch | 12 |
House of Councillors | Lower house | 6 months | First-past-the-post | 12 | ||
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Parliament | National Assembly | Lower House | 4 Months | First-Past-the-Post | 5 |
Senate | Upper House | At His Majesty’s Pleasure | Appointment by the King | 4 | ||
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Parliament | Monarch | Crown-in-parliament | For life | Hereditary position | 1 |
Senate | Upper house | For life | Appointed by the monarch | 4 | ||
Chamber of Deputies | Lower house | 1 year | Party-list proportional representation | 20 | ||
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Parliament | Staatsrat | Bicameral | Max. 4 months | Parliamentary confidence D'Hondt Method | 10 |
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Parlamenzalochas | Unicameral | No term limits | Appointed by head of state | 8 | |
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Parliament | King | Crown-in-parliament | For life | Hereditary position | 1 |
Imperial Parliament of Essexia | Unicameral | 1 year | Proportional Representation | 11 | ||
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Parliament of Essizia | Senate | Bicameral | At His Majesty's pleasure | Appointed by the King | 2 |
National Assembly | 5 years and at His Majesty's pleasure | First-past-the-post and appointed by the King | 10+ | |||
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Assembly of the Sea | Council of the Sea | Upper house | 1 year | Mixed-member proportional representation | 10 |
National Council | Lower house | 1 year | Appointed by parties | 1 | ||
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Parliament | Unicameral | ? | First-past-the-post | 1 | |
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National Assembly | Unicameral | 6 months | First-past-the-post | 30 | |
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Imperial Parliament (Parlamentum Imperialis Forestriae) | Senate | Unicameral | 2 years | First-past-the-post | 2 |
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General Assembly | Unicameral | No term limits | Appointed by the General Secretary (Must be approved by the King) | 6 (Can be changed by the King or General Secretary) | |
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Gendaranian National Assembly | Unicameral | 6 Months | First-past-the-post | 11 | |
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Congress | Unicameral | 2 years | single transferable vote | 2 | |
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National Delegation Council | Unicameral | 2 weeks | Direct non-competitive elections | 11 | |
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Parliament | Unicameral | Until death or abdication | Examination | No limits | |
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Senate | Unicameral | No term limits | Acquirement of citizenship | 25 | |
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Federal Congress | Federal Chamber of Deputies | Lower Level | 1 month | First-past-the-post | 40 |
Federal Senate | Higher Level | 4 years | First-past-the-post | 20 | ||
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National Forum | Unicameral | No term limits | ? | 4 | |
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Congress | Senate | Upper house | For life | Appointed by Chief Hamster | 20 |
Chamber | Lower house | 1 year | Proportional representation | 20 | ||
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Great National Assembly | Unicameral | No term limits | Self-appointment | 159 | |
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Senate | Unicameral | 3 months | First-past-the-post | 1 | |
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Royal Council | Unicameral | 1 year and 6 month | Party-list proportional representation | Unknown | |
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Senato del Regno | Unicameral | 1 year | Proportional representation | 6 | |
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The Senate of Lanzantonia | House of Imperial Counts | Upper House | Until Death | Emperor's Choise | 500 |
Federal Council of Advisors | Imperial House | Until Death | Emperor's Choise | No Set Limit | ||
Emperor of The Grand Imperial Empire of Lanzantonia | Emperor in Government | Until Death | Election Every Time an Emperor Dies | 1 | ||
House of Imperial Deputies | Lower House | 1 Month | Democratic Election | 500 | ||
The People's Government Committee of Lanzantonia | Ministry House | Presidential Choice | Presidential Choice | At the President's Choise | ||
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Senate | Unicameral | 4 months | First-past-the-post | 6 (at peak) | |
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The House of Parliament | Unicameral | 2 year term; No term limits | First-past-the-post | 24 | |
Notice: This Parliament is currently on recess while the legislative system is being restructured. This Parliament will reconvene after the changes have been made. Further details regarding this restructuring has not yet been released to the general public. | ||||||
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Landtag of Ljetzan | Unicameral | 4 years | Proportional representation | 15 | |
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Parliament of Luxe | Unicameral | 1 year | Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote) | 10 | |
Parliament | Senate | Upper house | ? | ? | ? | |
House of Commons | Lower house | ? | ? | ? | ||
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Lazian Chamber | Unicameral | No term limits | Schulze STV | 11 | |
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The Unitary Council of Princes | Aristocracy | Lifetime or Abdication | Salic law | 8 | |
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Grand Parliament of the Republic | Unicameral | 1 year | First-past-the-post | 3 | |
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Ducal Diet | Unicameral | 6 months | Block voting with panachage | 10 | |
Parliament | Unicameral | No term limits | ? | 15 | ||
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Council of State | Unicameral | ? | ? | 10 | |
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People's Council | Unicameral | Democratic Election | 1 year | 3 | Not fixed |
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Parliament House | Unicameral | ? | ? | 11 | |
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Parliament | Unicameral | 2 years | Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote) | 8 | |
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Qoroltay | Unicameral | ? | ? | 16 | |
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Grand Council | Unicameral | 2 months | First-past-the-post | 5 | |
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Parliament | House of Commons | Unicameral | 2 months | Two-round system | 3 |
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Reprezentantĉambro | Unicameral | ? | ? | 5 | |
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Vergadering | Unicameral | 6 months | First-past-the-post | 6 | |
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Congress | Senate | Upper house | 6 Months | First-past-the-post | 4 |
House of Representatives | Lower house | 6 Months | First-past-the-post | 4 | ||
Parliament | Board of Advisors | Upper house | 2 years | The population votes for party, not person, and the percentage of votes the party gets overall is the percentage of the Reps’ Collective and the Advisor’s Board. | 4 | |
Representatives’ Collective | Lower house | 1 year | 20 | |||
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Congress | Senate | Upper house | 6 years | Plurality voting | 5 |
House of Representatives | Lower house | 2 years | Plurality voting | 10 | ||
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Riksting | Imperial Council | Upper house | 6 months | Appointed by head of state | 3 |
Chamber of Delegates | Lower house | No term limits | First-past-the-post | 11 | ||
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Parlamantre | Senate | Upper house | 1 year | First-past-the-post | 4 |
Riksdag | Lower house | 1 year | Party-list proportional representation | 22 | ||
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Parliament | Unicameral | No term limits | By appointment of monarch | 5 | |
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Parliamentary Senate | Unicameral | No term limits | By appointment of monarch | 7 | |
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National Assembly | Senate | Upper house | 2 years | Preferential voting | 14 |
Popular Assembly | Lower house | 1 year | Mixed party-list / preferential voting | 75 | ||
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National Parliament | House of Elders | Upper house | For life | First-past-the-post | 11 (1 per state & 1 appointed by the Prime Minister) |
National Council | Lower House | 4 years | Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote) | 63 | ||
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Kadelieort | House of Lords | Upper house | Appointed | Appointed by the Monarch and Parties | 3 |
House of Commons | Lower house | 4 Months | Party-list | 9 | ||
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House of Representatives | Unicameral | No term limits | First-past-the-post | 15 | |
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Knowledge for All's Legislative Function | Quorum of Party | Unicameral | Life tenure | Pledge the oath before the party members and inform the quorum | No fixed seat (Regent included) |
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Minister Council | - | - | No voting | 4 | |
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Parliament | House of Councils | Unicameral | No set term | Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote) | 33 |
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People's Representative Assembly | Unicameral | 2 years | Multiwinner approval voting combined with block voting | No fixed number | |
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Parliament | House of Delegates | Unicameral | 2 weeks | First-past-the-post | 15 |
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Parliament | Unicameral | 1 year | Party-list proportional representation | 23 | |
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National Council | Unicameral | 1 year | Superposition / Mixed-member majoritarian (MMM) using a single (panachage) ballot: Plurality block voting (BV) in single nationwide constituency (8 seats); Sainte-Laguë method (4 seats) |
12 | |
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Parliament | Unicameral | 1 year | Multiple non-transferable vote | 6 | |
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Common Council | Unicameral | 4 years | First-past-the-post | 15 | |
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Parliament | Bicameral | 2 years | Party-list proportional representation | 450 in the House of Deputies | |
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Sitzungssaal | National Assembly | Seyboldish Lower Branch | 2 Years | Elected | 10 |
Lawmakers’ Council | Seyboldish Upper Branch | 2 Years | Elected | 2 | ||
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Shahawkian Parliament | Unicameral | Until Death or Abdication | Appointed by High Class Monarchs | 5 | |
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General Assembly | Senate | Upper house | ? | Appointed by head of state | 12 |
Chamber of Deputies | Lower house | ? | ? | 12 | ||
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Senate | Unicameral | 1 Year, no limits | Alternative Vote | ||
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Supreme People's Assembly | Unicameral | 4 years | Proportional representation | 20 | |
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Parliament | King's Council | Unicameral | No term limits | First-past-the-post | 47 |
Ecclesiastic Court | Papal Directorate | Unicameral | for life | Appointment by the King | 5 | |
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National Assembly | Unicameral | 6 months | MMPR/STV mix | 21 | |
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Parliament | Unicameral | 1 year | Party-list proportional representation | 300 | |
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Grand Council (36 seats) | High Council of XII | Secular council | no term limits | Appointed by the head of state | 12 |
Council of Apostles | Religious council | No term limits | Appointed by the head of state | 24 | ||
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Parliament | Senate of the Republic of Excelsior | Tricameral | Life until recall | Appointed by chancellor and president | 18 |
Presidential Committee of the Republic | 2 years | Elected by the people | 1 | |||
Federal Council of Governors | Life until recall | Appointed by the State governments | 9 | |||
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Parliament | General Assembly | Unicameral | 5 years | 7 elected by the people, 3 members of the Presidential Council | 10 |
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State Council | Unicameral | No term limits | 3 | ||
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Parliament | Unicameral | No term limits | Self-appointment | 4 | |
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People's Parliament | Unicameral | 5 Years | First-past-the-post | 5 | |
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Municipal Council | Kerna Katedralo | Upper house | No fixed term | By Invitation | 31 |
Kongreso de AF | Lower house | No fixed term | By Certification | 42 | ||
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Legislative Assembly | Unicameral | 2 Years | Party-list proportional representation and appointment by the head of state | 350 votes distributed to party delegates who hold multiple votes, there are 6 current delegates | |
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Chestnut Assembly | Unicameral | 6 years | Indirect election | 5 Parliamentarians plus the President of the Chestnut Assembly, Head of State in Valbona, who is elected by the parliamentarians. | |
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Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island | Unicameral | 2 years | First-past-the-post | 7 | |
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Parliament | Senate | Upper house | No set term | Appointed by head of state | 2 |
Unicameral | Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote) | 12 | ||||
Folketing | Lower house | Party-list proportional representation | 5 | |||
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Lok Sabha | Unicameral | 1 year | First-past-the-post | 20 | |
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Consultative Senate of Vlasynia | Unicameral | 1 year | At HGM the Despot's pleasure | Unknown | |
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Supreme Council | Unicameral | Lifetime | First-past-the-post | 4 (including the High Commissioner and the President of the Supreme Council) | |
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Parliament of Vyomania | The Cabinet | Bicameral | 5 years | First-past-the-post | |
The House of people | ||||||
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United National People's League of Sovereignty | Unicameral | 1 year | First-past-the-post | 6 | |
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Parliament of Winterspell | Unicameral | 1 Year | Multiple non-transferable vote | 3 | |
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Statenraad | Unicameral | No term limits | First-past-the-post | 4 | |
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Legislative Assembly of Xennistra | Unicameral | 6 years | Appointed By Provincial Governers | 50 | |
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Imperial Senate | Unicameral | ? | Appointed by head of state | ? | |
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Congress of Zeprana | Parliament | Upper house | 1 Year | No term limits | 10 |
Senate | Lower house | 1 Year | No term limits | 12 | ||
Zakinesia | Parliament of Zakinesia | Parliament
Cabinet |
Upper house
Lower house |
1 Year | First past the post | 8 |